Belgium to purchase MQ-9B SkyGuardian

The U.S. Department of State has approved a possible sale to Belgium of four MQ-9B drones at an estimated cost of $600 million.

The deal would include two ground stations, five AN/DAS-4 multispectral targeting systems, 15 embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems, five AN/APY-8 Lynx synthetic aperture radars, and five detect-and-avoid systems. It also includes spares, testing and training equipment necessary to support a five-year period of operations.

MQ-9B is highly modular and is easily configured with a variety of payloads to meet mission requirements. The aircraft is capable of carrying multiple mission payloads and includes a state-of-the art Detect and Avoid (DAA) system including space, weight, and power provisions to enable the retrofitting of an airborne Due Regard Radar (DRR) for operation in non-cooperative airspace.

The principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.